T 0 F s E C RE 'T

EMBASSY O F S O U TH A FR I C A
3 OSI M A S S A C H U S E T T S A V E N U E
W A S H I N GT O N D C 20 0 0 8
t
7 Novembe r 1 9 8 5
8 /6/ 4

T he Director Ge n e r a l
F or e i c r , A f f a i r s

R ou te 2 0 0 ~
201

o t'IT~ A F R I C A N Z
ESTA~1 1S?'I E~ T O F ~ ND E F'ENDE~'T F RC>-S
ORGA?: I SAT I OY S

a resul t o f
At t a c h e d i s a memorandum dragon up a
approach to us b y f orTrer Senator Stone of F 1ori da. For
f u r h e r b a c k a r ou n d s e e c u r 8 ,' C o f 2 9 Auc u s t 198 5 a nc y o z
t- 1 c..: ~ 025.

5 r, unf o r t u r > a te I e su i t o t h e o n o i n c v i o l e n c e i r. S o u tl >

A f ri c a anc the e m c t i or>a1 A~cri ca.-. debate a bou t t he
A o~>ir i st r a t i o r > ' s p o l i c y c . c on s t r u c t i v e e n = a "- e r >er >t ,
ha b e e . a c r a d.; a b' t pe. Ceptible ciscre" itin- of
t',>e aoverri-,ent 's pol ici c r e f o rr. ir. Americar> percept jor,

Z; key e e- . ,>cn. i n t i>e c r ea - icr i o the perception tha

th e r e f c re. pr oc e S o'' t h A f r ica lacks ir>te=rity
h a b e e n t h e Ar e r l e a n m > l a , v h i ch ha f o c u s s e " i t s
a .tent ic n a i m - s t exc'1 u e y c n vi c l er > ce l r> So u t . A r i c a
an= l r . c e n e a l p : r r a ,. e I'e CE. ,n.>Dun>ce..>Fr> s
F r e ice.-.= b o a j n I l Cl e n t to ac=re t h e c c . -..tr v ' s
prop' e-,

t.>nc e r t h e s e c i r c u r .ar>ces , i n c r c e r t c hav e a r. i m o a c t

QT D" bl i c opir>i cn ir. thE Ur i t e" St ates, ar. er>aeavo. " w i 1; .

?>ax e t c be I a e t o d i v e r t r e=i a a.ten t icn f ro-...see:t jca'

r>en o re c I . ir itia ive. 1r >the ab ence c suc.-.
enceavour, our case for ref orr.. ar." supp rt for mo eI at i
as ar, al.ernative to raci calis. wi11 continue to have
I..l n imal i m p a c t or . A~ > eri c a . -. d e" i i o r . m a ) ;er p a r t i e . 1 2 I 1 %
tho ir. Concress v?>og perceptlo..s are laroely forr.e=
by t he m>eci a .
 YQF cEcRET

fn hjs approach to us fo rmer S e nator Stone indicated that

he would be prepared to provide He
South Africa with assistance
said that his experience
in an endeavour of this kind.
with El Salvador in particular , had shown him that the
He was of the opinion that
media " can b e t u r ne d a r ou nd . "
the middle ground in the Am e r i car. debate on South Africa
h as b e e n seized by those supporting radical solutions.
Their s u c c e s s i n t h i s s t e m s f rom th e f act t hat th e y h a v e
been able to gain the upperhand in publicising their
He said that he is well aware
c ause with "media events" . about
of the South African Government's effortsoftothe brino
opinion that
c oun t r y a nd i s
meaninaful reform in the
p re s s attention can be focussed or, this process by oraanisinc
" medi a e v e n t s " a s w e l l .
c al l e a
He said that he had conducted a proaram of what he
c oul d f o c u s o n i r ,
" pub l i c d i p l om a c y " which the med ia " meai a
E l S al v a d o r . As a result of the focus on these
a t t a c k s o r i the legitimacy of the
e vent s " , o naoi n a m e d i a
neutralised and media attention
Duart e a o v e r n m en t h a d b e e n
h as n o w s h i f t e o f r o m E l Sa l v a d o r t o such an extent that a aa i n s t
Duar t e ' s o ov e r n m e n t i s able t o f i a h t a n d wi n t h e w a r
attention.
the auerillas unhinaered by Am e r ican media
of
6. Stone indicated that due to the incremental nature
neoative media attention on South Africa, the leaitimacy
of the government 's reform proaram is doubtea in the
L i t t l e attention has beer.
a en e r a 1 A m e r i c ar i p e r c e p t i o r i .
p ai d h o w e v e r t o t h e open n a t u r e o f t h e oover nment ' s o f e r s
on
t c neo o t i at e w i t h b l a c k l e a d e r s . Attertion ins.ead was i Gcv e r n r e .-.
u nreasonabl e e> p e c t a i o n s t h a t t ? e S o u t h A f rr ief
c ua sr a l t c
shou ld n e = o t i a . e wit?; the @AC despite their
r enounc e v i o i e . . c e . h e youl c p i e t o f o e . n e C i a ci t e .-. io.. o-.; )
+ ion a
t he v i ol er : t and racica1 nature of t? at oraa.-.isa
o f t " : i e i r p o si t i o n i n r e f s i ne
y el l a t h e u nr e s o r o- h i e . e
about s o l u t i o..s to t? e
t o jcin i n pe a ce +ul n e = o t i a t i o n s
T -;e e x c l u s i o n o f t h e A hstC f r o r . : a . .v
c ount r v ' s p r o b l e ; . . s .
n eoo i a . i c n s woul c t . ius b e s e e n t o b e a p r o " ' ct o
rat? e t '. .o - - . a ~v l a c k o c o> i + -
t hei r l ac k o c ooc ch il i ,
-.+ par : .
men, o n t h e Sc t . . A: r c a . - , G o v e r n . -..e.

S tone s a i c t h a . b e c a ' s e of the current cre" i? ility

p ro b l e m s o . A m e r i c a-. . p o l i c y a r ic scept i c is.-.: ir
i t 's intenti o n s ,
i e S o t t? Af r i c a n g o v e r n mer
A meri c a a bou t t .
a ep en c o . i hi s p er c e i v ec
the success of his proposal woulc
independence f rom bet? s th e A z-:,er i c ar . a na S o u t h A f r i c a n
Gover nments . He inci cates that he wo" 1 c be uncer takin"
this project cr i be.ia' f of the S o u t h A f ricar. Governmer t
and accora inc ly sees Government approv a 1 a s a v i t a l
K it?i a view t o e n s u r i n c
element in ac? ievinc a ny s u c c e s s .
 ~P SECRET

his perceived independence he would wish to be appointed

by a group with the de c l a red intention of assisting
in the achievement of moderate and peaceful solutions
to South Africa's problems. He felt that from a media
perspective, business leaders in South Africa, may
possess the necessary leg itimacy to make such an a ppo i n t -
ment, if a formalised in stitution could be created to
facilitate this.

8. Ye offer this proposal for your consideration as it

has the ability if ca refully planned and executed, to
achieve the goals we d e s i re . S t o n e ' s established
track record and experience assure him of a measure
of credibility and he is w ell aware of what is nec e s sary
t o affect American public opinion on this issue in ou r
f av o u r .

9. Of great importance in creating any i nstitutional bas i s

in South Africa, which would be matched with an Am e r i c an
c ounte r p a r t , i s the n e c e s sity to as sure that tho se
associatec with the formation of an organisation, if
approvec, have the necessary stature to inspire the
r equired confidence and credibility in the United St a t e s .
It must also be accepted that the organisation will
operate in a manner desicned to frame issues to be
presentec by Americans to American throug?i their
m edia , i n a n i d i o m a n d f o r m d e s i g n e d t o a c h i e v e i m p a c t
u pon A m e r i c a n s . A ssu r e d i n d e p e n d e n c e f r o m t h e S o u t h
A frican Government will thus probably prove necessary .

10. Attac hec ar e copi es of p r e s s c u t t i ngs provi ded t o u s

by Ser ator Stone dealinc ~ith his successful role ir.
Central America.

S oulc i t b e e lt t ? a: t h i p ro pose J has s ' ' f ] el

meri , t?.e Department r:,ay wish tc consider invit j ni - "

S e gator St on e t o S o u t h 2 r i c a to f r t h e r e x ' ' a i . h'

j cea an c t o Fleet w jt n a ~z ogre a=e membe c : t ? .
c ov e a. e n . Se e p a r a ~ o . .e memoran c u r .

AY~A S ADOF.
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BR B E R

r
~ ."STA B L I S H N E N T OF AN IN D E P E N D E N T PRO -SOUTH A FRICAN

LOB B Y I N G ORGA NISAT ION .

L at e i n 19 85 , T he E m b a s s y in W ashington c onv e y e d t o t he

Depar t m e n t , a proposal b y f o r m e r S e n a to r S t o n e t o " d i v e r t

m edi a attent ion from s ceptical t r e a t m en t o f ( S o ut h A f r i c a ' s )

r eform in i t i a t i v e s " . To t h i s e nd S e n a t o r St o n e p r o p o s e d t he

establishment o f th e C o a l i t i on f or R e f o rm i n S o u t h A f r i c a
i n the US w i t h a n i n i t ia l f u n d in g o f $ 5 0 m i l l i o n , whic h t h e
S A business c o m m u n it y w a s t o p r o v i d e s ec r e t l y . ( An n e x u r e A )

In late No v e m ber N r v on Hir sc h b er g c o n s u l te d w i t h D r B u r g e r

w ho indica ted t h a t t h e b u s in e s s c ommunity wa s no t i n t e r e s t e d
i n participat.ing in thi s k in d o f exercise . Th e m a t t e r

was then referred to this s ection w h ic h r e p l ie d t o the Em b assy

t hat the i d e a h ad merit bu t t h a t th e p r i c e t a g w a s t o o h i g h .

A fter di s c u s s ion w it h D r B u r g e r , t he E m b a s s y w a s i n f o r m e d t h a t
a mor e modest pr opo s a l o f s a y $ 1 mi l l i o n m ight be e n t e r t a i n e d .
( Ann e x u r e B)

I n its reply o f 7 Ja nuary , t he Emba ss y a p p e a r s t o be under

t he impre s s io n t h a t w e m i s u n d e r s t o o d t he nature o f f u n d i n g
r e q u i r e d i . e . b u s i n e s s - n ot g o v e r n m e n t . Th e p a r a g r a p h 1 . 3
r eferred to> in fac t ta l k s o f "confid e n t ia l c o n s u l t a t i o n "
between government and business I take t hi s t o m e a n that

g ove r n m en t and bu s i nes s woul d s h a r e t he c o s t b ut t hat

t his would no t b e r e v e a le d fo r t h e o bv i o u s r ea s o n . ( Annexur e C)

I f Senator S t on e i s p r e p a re d t o e n t e r t a i n a more mo d es t p r o j e c t ,
a nd if the S o ut h A f r i c a n b u s i n e s s m e n m entioned i n th e Embassy's

l etter are w i l l in g t o c o o p e r a t e, the project d e s e r v e s s upp o r t .

Jaqu

30 J a n u a r y 1 986